Tag: The Constitution

American Patriots – Get Out and Vote!

G’Day!

Yes, if we are to halt the creeping “Obammunism” that is destroying our great country, those of us who believe in and support America must “Get Out and Vote” in November 2014 and 2016. We must elect candidates that support The Constitution, individual freedom, free markets, sound fiscal & monetary policy, economic growth, and limited government. A failure to vote is a conceded vote for a liberal democrat and potential further deterioration of our country. Our goal should be 100% turnout of Republican and Independent voters.

In my previous article in August, I summarized the most significant of the many failures of the Obama Administration and Democrats over the last six years. Other than promoting himself and “Change,” what are Obama’s real objectives? Is he capable of making any important decisions or taking any responsibility for the results of his failed policies? Is he actually serious about confronting the Islamic terrorist threat? Does he care about the stagnant economic growth fostered by excessive government regulations and high taxes? Does he want America to fail? I don’t know the answers to these questions but am very worried that, if we do not elect appropriate candidates in the next elections, America’s decline economically, culturally, politically, and internationally will continue. In the face of multiple global crises, the world needs a strong economy and strong leadership from the United States.

However, complaining about the failures of Obama and the Democrats in Congress will not correct our problems. It is up to us to correct our recent mistakes and vote in candidates who truly care about our country. Do we really want two more years of Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader blocking virtually all bills passed by the House or proposed by Republican Senators? We now have the opportunity to correct the errors of the previous elections, take back the Senate in 2014, and elect a President who truly supports America in 2016. It is up to us to “Get Out and Vote” in huge numbers to counter the Democrats voting machine.

Our task will not be easy. The Democrats will definitely get out their socialist vote. They will knock on doors, arrange transportation to the polling stations, provide absentee ballots, and organize any and all support for their liberal base. They will leave no stone unturned in their attempts to retain power in the Senate and elect another Democrat President in 2016. They will mislead, distort the facts, and attempt to deceive the American people in every possible way in the period leading up to the elections in 2014 and 2016. It is vitally important that all patriots, conservatives, and freedom-loving Americans get out and vote – and encourage all of their family and colleagues to do likewise. Do not let the liberal Democrats take the election again.

Our great nation was founded on constitutionally protected principles of individual freedoms, free markets, and limited government. Let’s stop the rot, get back to our roots, and reverse the trend as soon as possible. Get out and vote in 2014 and 2016! The future of our exceptional country depends on you!

The Old Guy PhD

Decision Time in America – Which Future do You Want?

G’Day!

On November 6 we will face an election that will decide our nation’s course for many years. This election will be the most important election in our lives and will decide not only our immediate future but also the future for our children and grandchildren. After 3 ½ years of the Obama Administration, the Senate Democrats, and over a year of campaigning, our choices have never been more clear. At stake is the success or failure of our economy, the relationship between our government and ourselves, federal fiscal and debt solvency, taxation levels, America’s role in the world, and the legacy we are endowing to future generations.

The key issue we must face is which Presidential Candidate and political party offers the best opportunity for economic & job growth, wealth creation, supportable social safety nets & entitlements, sustainable National Debt, and a higher standard of living for the American people. It is vital that each of us take the time and make the effort to understand the potential consequences for our culture, our freedoms, and the potential survival of our country from these two widely different visions of government’s role in our society and vote accordingly.

Choice 1

Fundamentally, Romney/Ryan and the Republican Party support smaller government, free market capitalism, a strong national security, and individual liberty. They believe in the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers, individual & business freedoms, private property rights, sound fiscal and monetary policies, lower taxes for business and individuals, a government limited to the powers granted in the Constitution, and equality of opportunities for all citizens.

Specifically in this election, Romney/Ryan and Republicans support overturning government run Obamacare, which significantly increases healthcare costs, adds central bureaucratic control over healthcare, and erodes our freedom of choice in the doctor/patient relationship. They support overturning the Dodd-Frank financial legislation, which has stagnated our financial industry and economic growth and adds layers of still to be written rules and regulations and additional costs over banking. As protection from mounting problems in the Middle East, Romney/Ryan and Republicans support the construction of the Keystone Pipeline and the opening of public lands and offshore exploration for expanding and achieving North American energy independence.

Republicans further believe in a clear and resolute Foreign Policy supported by a strong economy and military and free trade with other nations. They believe that a reasonable but not unlimited social safety net is desirable for those truly in need and welfare as a temporary situation with the objective of being a transition to independence. Romney/Ryan advocate major tax reform by lowering the rates and broadening the base for individuals and businesses in order to promote economic growth. They further advocate major entitlement reform to bring the Federal Budget into balance, while insuring that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will be sustainable for future generations.

Regarding the economy, Republicans believe that prosperity and job growth is derived from entrepreneurial business activity free from excessive government interference and is advanced by minimizing regulations, having lower taxes, and maximizing freedoms and opportunities. Individual and business success is praised, honored, and rewarded. Free markets determine winners and losers and wealth is distributed based on objective “achievement” through persistence, intelligence, and hard work.

Choice 2

Primarily, Obama/Biden and the Democrat Party support bigger (unlimited?) government, centrally planned European-style neo-socialism, reduced national defense, and bureaucratic control of individual and business freedoms. They believe in a “living” Constitution to be interpreted and modified by the judicial system as desired, control over private property use, and unsustainable fiscal policy and National Debt. They advocate open-ended entitlements, welfare, and government spending, higher taxes on businesses and individuals but especially the successful “rich”, and forced wealth transfer to achieve “fairness”. Opportunities for success (or failure) will be largely determined by central government administrators.

Specifically in this election, Obama/Biden and Democrats approve of and are committed to retaining government run Obamacare and Dodd-Frank financial legislation. They have no practical national energy plan and are against the Keystone Pipeline, offshore exploration, and expansion of fossil fuel development on public land. As is well documented, Obama currently favors “Green Energy” as the alternative to fossil fuels and, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), has used billions of taxpayer money to subsidize and support his belief. Through the EPA and DOE, The Obama Administration is waging a “War on Coal”, which is preventing the country from exploiting a cheap and plentiful fuel source and will result in the loss of thousands of jobs in the Coal Industry. All of this makes America weaker and more dependent on foreign energy from the troubled Middle East Area.

For nearly four years Obama has followed a Foreign Policy of appeasement, apology, and withdrawal emphasized by planned reductions in the military and controlled trade with other nations. Obama and Democrats believe in regulated and even hostile control over businesses and the use of Administrative Executive Power (especially EPA, DOE, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), and Department of Labor (DOL)) as desired to accomplish this. They believe in and have encouraged entitlement expansion and welfare dependency supported by a $6 Trillion increase in the National Debt in four years.

Obama/Biden and Democrats believe that economic and job growth is derived from central government planning not free markets, high taxes on successful individuals & companies, and taxpayer funding through grants and subsidies to bureaucratically selected companies and industries. Individual and business success is envied, derided, and penalized through regulations and wealth transfer. The government determines winners and losers based on administrative subjectivity and wealth is redistributed based on an arbitrary determination of “fairness”.

For months we have heard impressive speeches from our President promising more of the same “Hope and Change” supported by increasing government restrictions (Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, the EPA, the DOE, etc.), unsustainable entitlements, higher taxes on the “Rich”, and ballooning National Debt. But no volume of skillful oratory by the President can disguise the fact that Obama and the Democrats have no new ideas for the next four years and Romney/Ryan and the Republicans do. Romney has articulated clearly his 5-Point Plan to get America back on track to a prosperous growing economy with job opportunities for those who want to work: 1) Energy Independence, 2) Free Trade, 3) a Balanced Budget, 4) Improved Education, and 5) Tax Reform to support Small Businesses. While no one party or individual is perfect or will solve all problems we must select the alternative that provides our best opportunity to save our country from financial disaster and economic chaos that uncontrolled government deficits represent. The survival of our great nation depends on making the right choice.

OK, it’s decision time! Which future do you want? Please take the time and make the effort to study the alternatives, the potential outcomes from each, consider what is at stake for yourself, your children, and our great country, and vote wisely. The choice will be yours on November 6th.

The Old Guy PhD

The Presidential Debates – Romney Wins Round One!

G’Day!

Finally the American people were able to see both the real Romney and the real Obama on the same stage, at the same time, unfiltered by spokespersons or the biased Liberal Media. The debate was informative and enlightening and a huge victory for Presidential Candidate Romney.

Romney was enthusiastic and passionate, decisive, well prepared, well organized, and armed with better specifics of both his own proposals and those of Obama. Romney was more confident and professional in his delivery, firm but friendly in responding to the questions of the moderator, Jim Lehrer, and those of Obama, and quick to stand up for his principles and to correct the misinformation presented by the President. Romney stood solidly in favor the basic tenets established by our Founding Fathers in The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights. The most significant of which is a government limited to protecting national security, individual freedoms, private property rights, free markets, and providing fair and impartial justice. In his debate remarks Romney laid out a five part path to future growth and prosperity: Energy Independence, Free Trade, a Balanced Budget, Improved Education, and Tax Reform. I’m in – are you?

On the other hand, Obama was not well prepared, poorly organized (even rambling at times), and appeared uncomfortable in the setting and especially with Romney’s challenges and corrections of his misinformation. He was lackluster, hesitant, and vague in his presentation, repeatedly relying on the familiar “bumper sticker” slogans used during his campaign – “fair shot, fair share, same rules”, “failed policies of the past”, “saved us from the biggest recession since the Great Depression”, etc. How many times do we have to listen to this misinformation? During the debate President Obama looked bored, did not seem to want to be there, and became increasingly uneasy. Obama has not been seriously challenged since the primary against Hillary Clinton and even then the Liberal Press “had his back” as they have persisted in doing since his election. When everyone around you, including most of the Press, fawns over your very presence and you win the Nobel Peace Prize for actually doing nothing other than being elected, it is difficult, especially without a “teleprompter” or agents to spin the issues on your behalf, to be publicly challenged by an opponent who is equally or better educated, has far more experience, and has high religious and moral standards. It makes you wonder just how capable Obama is in serious negotiations with other world leaders? Obama did make it clear again that he believes Big Government, higher taxes, more regulations, less personal freedoms, and more spending are the answer to our economic, fiscal, and debt problems. Do you?

As stated in my last article, “The November Election-A National Intelligence Test for America!”, this election IS the clearest choice between two different visions for America: sound fiscal policy vs. unsustainable fiscal policy, less government vs. more government, more individual and business freedom vs. less individual and business freedom, lower taxes vs. higher taxes, free market capitalism vs. centrally controlled neo-socialism, stronger national defense vs. weaker national defense, private doctor-based healthcare vs. central government mandated healthcare, strong foreign policy vs. weak and apologetic foreign policy, and, perhaps most importantly, more support for The Constitution vs. less support for The Constitution. These are the real issues from the debate and which we will be voting for or against in November. Do not make the mistake of letting Obama’s campaign rhetoric and a prejudiced Liberal Media systematically brainwash and deceive you into failing to think for yourself and to vote for what is right for our county.

As I have stated in previous articles, our nation was established on the fundamental principle that government is the servant of the people, not vice versa. It’s time to take back our country. Vote in November!

The Old Guy PhD

Wake Up America – Obama is Hazardous to Your Health (& Wealth)!

G’Day!

Not only is Obama hazardous to your health and wealth, he is even more hazardous to our Constitution, our personal freedoms, our national defense, our foreign policy, our economic growth, our energy independence, and our very fiscal survival as a country. If Obama and the Democrats are left unchecked (pun intended), our capitalist freedom-loving nation, that has been a model for the world for over two centuries, could become a centrally mandated, entitlement state of mostly parasites living off the productive endeavors of fewer and fewer successful hard-working citizens. At worst, America could turn into a failed bankrupt state. Given the apparent Obama agenda of dictated economic equality and oppressive federal government control over all aspects of our social, economic, and personal lives, the freedoms and opportunities for the hard working Americans will continue to be eroded through increasing regulations, restrictions, and taxes. It appears that Obama’s intent is to engage the nation in “class warfare” in order to make us all equally poor and dependent on the federal government for our survival. Unfortunately, it sounds a lot like communism to me. As “The Economist” headlined in February: “Over-regulated America: The home of laissez-faire is being suffocated by excessive and badly written regulation”. Regrettably, this appears to be true!!

Regarding health, all I need to say is “Obamacare”. Approximately two-thirds of the country doesn’t want it. It has and will continue to increase both healthcare and business costs and will inhibit job and economic growth. It will penalize medical innovation, decrease incentives for doctors, and increase direct and indirect taxes for those who actually pay them. It is a massive increase in government’s intrusion in our lives and will ultimately result in government-rationed healthcare including end-of-life decisions by bureaucrats. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will correctly declare the act unconstitutional and we can return to a logical and rational free-market based system with reasonable government support for the truly needy. I lived in Europe for approximately ten years and can assure you even our current system, which can be improved, is far better than “Obamacare”.

Obama is clearly an “elitist” who does not support our Constitution. The Constitution is the foundation of our individual liberties and places strict limits on federal government power. Obama appears to believe that he and his administration are smarter than our Founding Fathers and are more qualified than Congress or the people to make decisions and rules controlling our lives and our economy. Obama’s agenda is found throughout his administration and especially in his policies for Energy, Environment, Labor, Defense, and the Department of Justice, not to mention his appropriately named “Czars”. Look at the damage these federal bureaucracies have done during his brief term in office. Obama is trying to force his socialist agenda of an all-powerful federal government on the American people. He is even trying to bypass Congress with excessive use of executive power through administrative mandates. This is not the way our Founding Fathers intended the three branches of our government to function and is not good for our country.

Obama’s financial and economic policies have been and continue to be an accelerating train wreck for America. Suffice it to say that in only three years he has increased our national debt by over $1 trillion every year and in total by $5 trillion to more than $15 trillion (+50%), so much for electing a Community Organizer to run the country. Over the last year I have written many articles about how totally unsustainable and incomprehensible his financial and fiscal policies are. His Presidential budgets and the Dodd-Frank regulations are obvious examples of bad proposals and legislation. President Obama may be charming but he is a disaster for the future of our nation.

How many of you really believe Obama’s National Defense and Foreign Policies over the last three years have been favorable? Do you believe our country is safer and that our influence throughout the world has improved under Obama’s guidance? Do you feel that ignoring European desires, especially Poland and the Czech Republic, and caving in to Russia’s demands to eliminate the European missile defense shield has made Europe or the United States more secure? Has this concession to Russia resulted in any change in Russia’s willingness to cooperate with us on Iran, Syria, the Israel-Palestinian conflict or any important foreign issue? Has the abrupt withdrawal of armed forces from Iraq caused the Iraqi to experience less internal hostilities and regard us more favorably than before? Has the ill-advised announcement of a specific timetable for unilateral withdrawal from Afghanistan improved our relations with the Afghan government and the Taliban or resulted in a reduction of hostilities? Has his policy regarding Israel improved or worsened their conflict with the Palestinians in the West Bank? Have the unilateral defense cuts, including cancelling of the NASA Space Program with the immediate lost of thousands of highly trained technology jobs improved our ability to defend ourselves or compete scientifically in space with China, Russia, Iran, or even North Korea? Have our relations with China and Pakistan improved under Obama? And finally, how is the containment of Iran’s nuclear program going? Are these the policies you want continued by our government? I know that I do not.

Regarding Energy, the arbitrary Energy Department and EPA restrictions on fossil energy use, exploration, and development have made us more dependent on foreign energy sources from unstable regions of the world and increase our energy costs. Does the stoppage of the Keystone Pipeline from Canada and the associated loss of desperately needed domestic jobs make any sense to anyone other than radical environmentalists? Will the newly released emission standards on coal-fired power plants kill the coal industry and result in thousands of lost jobs. These administrative mandates will result in higher gas prices, higher energy prices, lower employment and less economic growth at a time when our country is struggling to recover. Obama and his administration should realize that our nation and the world will be dependent on fossil fuel energy for years and probably decades. We have abundant domestic sources of oil, natural gas, and coal available if our government would let us develop and use them. And, if we do not, the security of America will be in jeopardy and we will be at the mercy of unstable nations that do not like us. I for one am totally mystified. What is Obama thinking? I do not want to believe that Obama intentionally wants to destroy our country but his policies are certainly trending in this direction. This is not good.

As I said in last month’s article, “The growth of Western Civilization and especially the United States was fuelled by the expansion of individual liberties, property rights, and a free market capitalist society. Our nation was established on the fundamental principle that government is the servant of the people, not that the people are the servants of the government. It’s time to take back our country and return to the individual liberties, free markets, economic growth, and limited government we have long enjoyed.” WAKE UP AMERICA!

The Old Guy PhD

Personal Responsibility – What Happened to Our Pioneer Spirit?

G’Day!

It is obvious that the current members of The Democratic Party did not create our great country. They would never have taken the risks and hardships of crossing the Atlantic and relying on their own abilities for survival without an established government “socialized safety net”. So what has happened to the original American “Pioneer Spirit” of personal responsibility and risk-taking, free of government interference and control? Why have so many of us allowed ourselves to be deluded by lawyers and politicians into believing that the government or “someone else” is responsible for our personal security, retirement, healthcare, employment, injury, or any problem that we face? Why is America becoming a European-style socialist “nanny” state at the same time Europe is finally realizing that unconstrained collective socialism not only does not work but also restricts economic growth AND is ultimately unaffordable? Greece and Portugal are current examples and others may follow. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM OR TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR EVERY DESIRABLE SOCIAL GOAL OR ADDITIONAL REGULATION OR BUREAUCRACY OUR POLITICIANS WANT! Solving every social issue through additional taxation and government spending is neither affordable nor achievable and only retards economic growth and wealth creation for all. Wealth is not created by taking from those who earned it and giving it to those who did not.

Our pioneer ancestors came to this country searching for freedom from many different oppressions and the opportunity to build independent productive lives free from excessive government control and interference. Our ancestors accepted total personal responsibility for any risks they took. They understood that, whatever the outcome, their future and the future of their families were based on their own decisions and how well they made and executed them. Millions of immigrants have come to our country for the “opportunity” and not the “guarantee” of a better life. We need to rekindle this spirit in our country, get government off our backs, and retake personal responsibility for our lives.

For well over our first century as a country, we experienced essentially free markets and constitutionally protected individual liberties, which were largely free of federal government controls. We experienced problems but grew and prospered into a great nation. Major federal government intrusion in our commercial and personal lives really began with the passing of Constitutional Amendment XVI in 1913 authorizing direct federal income taxes. In 1913, federal government spending was less than 3% of GDP. From that year forward the size of our government and its control over our lives and commerce has inexorably increased over time, especially under F. D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” in the ‘30s, Johnson’s “Great Society” in the ‘60s, and in this century Bush II’s “Prescription Drug Program” and Obama’s “Healthcare and Financial Regulation”. Except for WWII, the current size and scope of government spending has never been as high as it is now under the Obama Presidency at approximately 25% of our GDP! Just since Obama was elected, Federal Government ANNUAL spending has increased from $2.9 trillion to $3.8 trillion, the ANNUAL deficit increased from $500 billion to 1.7 trillion, and our total National Debt has increased by 40% from $10 trillion to $14.3 trillion! The Democrats in Congress have not passed a Federal Budget for over 800 days and have so far rejected all attempts this year by the Republicans to pass one for next year! To paraphrase Bill Clinton during the 1992 Presidential campaign, “It’s the Spending, Stupid!”

In July, my post highlighted the fact that our Founding Fathers risked their very lives, not just reelection, with “The Declaration of Independence”. Eventually, a new nation and a new government, unlike any other in history, were born based on their courage, vision, and desire to preserve this spirit of independence and freedom and to protect it for future generations. Our Founding Fathers were incredibly wise and shortly after gaining our independence from England, realized the potential flaws inherent in pure democracy, and created a written “Constitution” and subsequent “Bill of Rights” establishing the role of federal vs. state government, protecting the rights and freedoms of individual citizens from the government, and establishing appropriate mechanisms to amend the Constitution as necessary without destroying it from within.

Where are we today? We have an emerging “nanny-state” in which many believe that anything bad that happens is NOT personally their fault and it must be the fault of “someone else” or the responsibility of the government to correct. In other words, we are giving up personal freedoms and responsibilities and becoming a nation of dependency on government. Our ancestors would be appalled! The government cannot and should not try to protect us from all misfortunes or bad decisions we make ourselves. Historically, Americans don’t want or need a “handout”; they want an opportunity and the freedom to get a “leg up”. Today, only the Republicans, especially the “Tea Party”, are even attempting to risk reelection by taking a long-term view of our country’s needs. They are actually proposing fiscal solutions to correct the spending disaster that our governments have imposed on us. So what has been the “Tea Party’s” reward for standing up for what is right? They have been the subject of malicious vilification by the Obama Administration, Democrats, and segments of the media and have even been called “Terrorists”! Unbelievable! The Tea Party members are currently our true “Patriots” and should be praised for refusing to accept the short-term and totally inadequate fiscal “Band-Aids” proposed by the Democrats. Instead of addressing our long-term problems of unfunded and unsustainable entitlement programs, the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats are ignoring the problem and are attempting to blame the Tea Party for our economic and political problems. The Administration and Democrats are not only continuing their failed policies down this path of national destruction but also seem to be intent on accelerating its speed of decline. More Liberal Madness!!

So what should be done to halt the increasing culture of dependency on the government and return prosperity and growth to the people and to our country? Our government must set priorities within “Capped” budget constraints (see “Is a Balanced Budget Amendment Necessary?”) and make rational cost-benefit trade-offs before commitments to any new or continuing government socially/politically motivated programs and bureaucracy are approved. For starters, every new law or program should have a built-in “Sunset Clause” specifying that it must be reapproved by a set date or it is terminated. As detailed in “Yes, We CAN Grow the Economy and Create Jobs!” at least six specific actions could and should to be taken: 1) Stop/Minimize non-essential regulations, 2) Have a business-friendly government, 3) Reduce tax rates, especially on business, through tax reform, 4) Enact an energy policy that encourages rather than discourages development of domestic sources of traditional energy, 5) Fix the fiscal and debt crises by cutting government spending, revising entitlements, and increasing tax revenues through tax reform, and 6) Pass the three pending Free Trade bills and expand them to include other trading partners. More is possible but this would be a good beginning.

In short, we need to return to the principles of a constitutionally limited government and individual freedoms created by our Founding Fathers. Returning to our fundamental principles of individual freedoms, free markets, sound fiscal and monetary policy, economic growth, and limited government is the proper course of action. The government should get out of the road and let entrepreneurs and businesses generate the economic growth, job creation, and increasing wealth of which they are capable. Let’s get to work!

The Old Guy PhD